Football-score board



Oct.Y 29, 1929.

w. J. MORRIS 1,733,383

FOOTBALL S CORE BOARD Filed Oct. 5, 1928 atto: um,

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 WILLIAM J. MORRIS, OF DENVER, COLORADO FOOTBALL-SCORE BOARD Application led October 5, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in score boards and has reference more particularly to a score board for visualizing the progress of football games.

The public is always interested in football games and more particularly in the games played by the teams of the schools and universities of the States in which they live, but it is evident that only a small proportion of the population can attend the games. Since the advent of the radio, it has become customary to broadcast the important football games and this makes it possible for any one having a radio receiver to follow the progress of the game. It is evident that unless some means is provided for visualizing the progress of the game, it will be diiiicult for the auditors to follow the several plays with suflicient accuracy to obtain from the broadcasted reports the best results.

It is one object of this invention to produce a score board having one surface provided with a pictorial representation of a football field and over which a marker representing the ball can be moved. This board is also provided with indicators that can be adjusted or set so as to indicate at a glance the score, the side having the ball and all other information that is necessary for a complete understanding of the game. These boards may be made in two or more different sizes, the smaller sizes of boards being suitable for use in homes having radio receivers and can be supported on a table and manipulated so as to indicate visually the progress of the game. A large size board can be made and employed by t-he newspapers in the same manner as base ball score boards are now used and those boards will make it possible for the newspapers to visualize the progress of a game from the telegraphic reports so that a large number of people can follow the progress of the game.

This invention, briefly described, comprises a thin flat member of extended area having one surface provided with a pictorial representation of a football field, including the yard lines, properly numbered, the goals and a movable marker. An indicator is attached to or associated with that portion rep- Serial N0. 310,514.

resenting the eld. The indicator is provided with means for indicating visually the score, the quarter being playedwhich side has the ball, distance gained, the distance to be gained the down and other information necessary for a complete understanding of the game.

Having thus briefiy described the invention, the same will now be described in detail and reference for this purpose will therefore be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment has been illustrated and in which:

The single view is a perspective view showing` the score board in osition for use.

In the drawing re erence numeral l represents a thin fiat piece of material of a standard area which may be made of aluminum, wood or any other suitable material. This member has one side provided with a pictorial representation of a football field. The limits, or boundary, of this field is indicated by line 2, and the surface within the boundary is provided with a. number of parallel lines 3 which indicate the yard lines, and which represent the corresponding line from the football field, which divides the field into spaces five yards wide. The goals have been indicated by reference numerals 4e. The width and length of the field represented by boundary line 2 is preferably proportioned so as to correspond with the actual length and width of the real field on which the game is played. Extending along the lower edge of the field is a rod, or a stretched wire, 5. This wire is anchored to the board at the end, the points where it is anchored have been designated by reference numeral 6. A marker 7, which may be a tubular member, whose length is equal to twice the distance between any two transverse lines 3, and which therefore has a length corresponding to ten yards, is slidable on wire 5. At the beginning of a play, the operator moves the marker to such a position that one end thereof is located in line with the ball, and the other end projects in the direction in which the ball is supposed to move, so that the marker indicates the distance that must be gained during the four downs. This marker is, of course, moved at the beginning of each play, and corresponds to the change ordinarily employed on the actual field.

The position of the ball is indicated by means of a movable marker A that can be moved along the surface of the board so as to correspond with the actual movement of the ball on the field.

For the purpose of enabling the person following the game to keep a record before him of the progress of the game, an indicator 9 has been provided. This indicator consists of a board of thin material of extended area, which is provided with some. suitable means for indicating the'number of downs, the yards gained, yards to go and any other informa'- tion that is necessaryfor a proper understanding of the game. This information may be either written on the indicator board by means of a pencil, or the latter may be provided with movable indicators containing the information desired. The indicator is secured to the main board by means of hinges which have been designated by reference numeral l0. These hinges may be made of metal in the manner shown, or may be of fabric or other flexible material. The hinges have been shown as secured to the auxiliary board or indicator, a short distance above the lower edge of the latter, so that when the parts are in the position shown in the drawing, the lower edge of the auxiliary board will project over the edge of the main board and serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the auxiliaryboard with respect to the main board. The parts are so adjusted that when the auxiliary board is in operative position, it will make an angle with the upper surface of the main board which is greater than 90 degrees. `When the board is to be shipped, or when it is not in use, the auxiliary board is folded Ontotop of the main board, and, therefore, can be formed into a very compact package and can be easily stored when not in use.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a score board that is especially well adapted for use in the homes for following t-he progress of a football game that is being broadcasted by radio, and which makes it possible to visualize the game, so that the different games can be followed in a satisfactory manner.

Having described the invention what is .Clarned as new is:

1. A football score board comprising, in combination, a thin member of extended area adapted to rest on a table top, the upper-surface being divided by spaced parallel lines represent-ing the yard lines of a football field, an auxiliary board having one edge hinged to one side of the main board, means for lim iting the angular movement of saidv boards, and means carried by the auxiliary board for indicating the score and the standing of the teams at all stages of the game.

2. A football score board comprising, in combination, a main board consisting of a thin member of extended area adapted to rest upon a table top, the upper surface of said member having a representation of a foot ball field, an auxiliary board of smaller area having its lower edge hingedly connected with one edge of the main board so that it may be folded into substantially parallel relation therewith and so as to form therewith an angle of over ninety degrees and means for limiting the angular movement of the auxiliary and the main board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM J. MORRIS.

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